Panel construction



March 10, 1942. 14. E. SCULL' PANEL CONSTRUCTION I Filed Jan. "25, 1939 INVENTOR bs/vev E SCULL.

ATTO RN EY Patented Mar..10, 1942 PANEL CONSTRUCTION Henry E. Scull, Teaneck, N. 1., assignor to Johns- Manville Corporation, poration of New York New York,.N. Y., a cor- Application January 25, 1939, Serial No. 252,713

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to panels or boards of a character toserve as the sheathing or facing for walls, including ceilings and the like, and particularly to a joint construction for the panels. The when employed in connection with board materials formed from compressed wood or similar fibres, the term fibre board being employed hereinafter in a conventional .sense to include all such and similar materials.

Heretofore, panel boards constituting wall facings, plaster bases, and the like have included edge constructions of such character as to provide "shiplap and similar joints when the panels are laid in abutting relationship. However, particularly in those instances where the panels are employed as the interior wall facing, the joint constructions previously proposed have failed to give either the appearance or the structural characteristics desired.

The present invention has for a primary object the provision of an edge construction for panels, boards and the like which will adapt the same for assembly to ing.

Another object of the invention is theprovision of a panel including an edge construction which, when the panels are laid upon a wall, or the like, will permit of the concealment of the means for securing the panels to the supporting structure.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a panel including edges of such configuration that the furthest extension of each edge of the board will not constitute the apparent panel edge when the same are laid up in abutting relationship, whereby accidental marring of the edges invention is of particular utility provide an improved wall coverwill not afi'ect the appearance of the finished wall covering.

' A still further object of the invention is the provision of a joint forpanels or the like which provides a secure interlock between adjacent panels and which is stronger and otherwise more satisfactory than the joint constructions heretofore provided.

My invention will be more fully understood and further objects and advantages thereof will become apparent when reference is made to the detailed description thereof which is to follow and to the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of a panel board embodying the construction of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an edge view of the board of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view depicting an assembly of the .by 16 inches, and also is drawn ing half the thickness of the board.

studs, furring strips,

panels of Fig. 1 on a wall or similar structure; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 44 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawing, and particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, there is depicted a panel Ill embodying the present inventio The panel illustrated is one of relatively small size, say 16 inches somewhat out of proportion to clearly disclose the edge structure. However, it will be understood that thepanels may be made of any suitable size, for example, up to widths, say, of two feet or more and lengths of sixteen feet or more. p

The material of which the panel is composed preferably comprises fibre board, as previously pointed out, that is, board composed of wood or similar fibres which have been moulded or otherwise sheeted into board form.

According to the present invention, a panel or board Ill is provided, preferably on each of its edges, with rabbeting of a type to provide a relatively extending tongue or flange i2 and a relatively short tongue or flange H. The opposite edges of the panel are of substantially reverse configurations, each being the complement of the other. Each of the panel edges, as best shown in Figs. 2 and .4, is constituted ofthe extending tongue l2 and the relatively short tongue M, defining therebetween a recess i5. Each of the tongues has a thickness at its base approximat- The side of includes a I! to or subtongue'l2 at a face I! of the .board bevel l6 extending from the face stantially to the outermost end l8 of the flange. Flange l4 includes a beveled side 20 extending from the base of flange l2 to the outer end of flange i4 and a second bevel 22 extending from the outer end of bevel 20 to a face 26 of the board.

In a preferred construction, the bevel 20 lies at an angle of substantially 30 to a side 24 of flange i2 and bevels l6 and 22 at an angle of substantially to the adjacent faces l1 and 26, respectively, of the board Hi. It will be understood, however, that any suitable angles maybe employed for the bevels.

Referring now particularly to Figs. 3 and 4, panels of the type of Fig. 1 are illustrated in assembled relationship to provide a covering or sheathing for a wall, ceiling, or the like. Preferably, the panels are of a suitable dimension in one direction to extend between the centers .of or the like 30 forming, or supported from, the base wall structure. The

panels are laid over the base wall in abutting relationship with the rabbeted edges of each panel interengaged with the complementary configured edges of adjacent panels in a manner illustrated particularly in Fig. 4. Thus, it will be noted from an examination of this figure that the complementary edges interlock to define a rigid joint structure and also form depressions 32 of triangular cross section between the panels. The apparent edges of the panels are represented by the lines 34 constituting the place of meeting of the bevel 22 of flange M of one panel with the bevel l6 of flange l2 of the adjacent panel.

In the preferred manner of laying the panels, a panel is secured to a stud, iurring strip, or the like 30' by means of nails or other fastening means 36 driven through the tongue l2 which lies against a member 30. I A complementary edge of another panel may then be interfitted with the edge of the secured paneldn the manner indicated in Fig. 4, no nailing of this edge of the second panel being required, due to the interlock provided. The opposite edge of the second panel is nailed through its flange 12 into an underlying supporting member 30. As many additional panels as are required to cover the desired surface may be similarly laid.

As illustrated particularly by Fig. 4, and as described above, a panel edge configuration in accordance with the present invention provides for the blind nailing of the panels, the nail or other securing means 36 driven through the flange l2 of one panel being entirely covered by the 'oppositely positioned flange 12 of the adjacent panel, the latter such flange being interlocked in the recess l5 defined by the flanges l2 and H of the first mentioned panel. In addition to providing for blind nailing and for a very securely interlocked joint, the described edge conflgura-.

tion also serves materially to reduce the danger of injuries to panel edges being apparent in the finished structure. Thus, it will be noted that the flanges I2 in each instance extend beyond the portions of the panels which define the apparent panel edges 34. Injuries to which the panels may be subjected in handling or transportation will normally occur to the outer edges of flanges 12 which are contained within the recesses l5 and hence will not be observable when the panels are assembled on a wall structure or the like. Panels or boards in accordance with the present invention exhibit the further advantage that they are reversible and may be laid with either side outermost. Hence, a choice of surface effects may be provided for by differently finishing or coloring the two faces of the panel.

As previously pointed out, wall panels in accordance with the present invention may be made of any dimensions desired. Also, they may be employed either as a base to receive plaster or other finishing coats, or directly for the interior finish. In the former case, the grooves 32 provide recesses for plaster interlock at the joints between the boards. Furthermore, although the invention has been described as particularly applicable to fibre board panels, it will be understood that the joint construction disclosed may be employed with boards made of any desired materials and the several advantages and functions of the invention be obtained.

Having thus described my invention in rather full detail, it will be understood that these details need not be strictly adhered to, but that various changes and modifications will suggest themselves to one skilled in the art, all falling within the scope of the invention as defined by the subjoined claims.

What I claim is:

1. An interior decorative panel comprising a fibre board body having opposite edges of substantially complemental configuration, each of said edges including a pair of tongues of unequal length, the longer of said tongues having a bevel extending from the outer end thereof to an adjacent face of the body and the shorter of said tongues having oppositely beveled sides.

2. An interior decorative wall sheathingcomprising a plurality -of fibre board panels laid in edge abutting relationship, adjacent panels including abutting edges of substantially complementaryform, each of said edges comprising a pair of tonguesof unequal length defining a recess therebetween, the longer of said tongues including a bevel extending from the outer end thereof to an adjacent face of the panel and the shorter of said tongues having oppositely beveled sides, the longer of said tongues of one of said edges being received within the said recess of the other edge.

3. An interior decorative wall sheathing comprising a plurality of fibre board panels laid in edge abutting relationship, adjacent panels including abutting edges of substantially complementary form, each of said edges comprising a pair of tongues of unequal length defining a recess therebetween, the longer of said tongues including a bevel extending from the outer end thereof to an adjacent face of the panel and the shorter of said tongues having oppositely beveled sides, the longer of said tongues of one of said edges being received within the said recess of the other edge, whereby each of said panels is reversible with respect to each of the other said panels.

HENRY E. SCULL. 

